Tata Kite hatchback may have a starting price of Rs 4 lakh

The upcoming Tata Kite may have a starting price of Rs 4 lakh. Slated to replace the Indica and Indigo eCS, these new vehicles have been dubbed Kite 4 for the hatchback and Kite 5 for the compact sedan and are likely to debut by the end of the year.

Reports suggest that this new duo will use the same X0 platform from the Indica and Indigo but will share very little with the former apart from a few basic items. The Kite twins are expected to be offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 85bhp/110Nm as well as a 1.05-litre three-cylinder diesel mill which has been derived from the Manza’s 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine.

The diesel engine is expected to produce 70bhp/150Nm of torque which may not seem like a lot but should be sufficient if not more than enough when you take weight into consideration. Both cars are likely to have sub one-tonne kerb weights if you consider the fact that the base diesel versions of the Tata Zest and Bolt weigh 1175kgs and 1132kgs respectively. Tata is also believed to have reworked the suspension to overcome issues that had been found in the Indica.

The arrival of the Kite twins opens up a new segment in the Indian market, mostly in the case of the compact sedan which will be the first in this part of the market. 

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